Most young children are “picky” about food. All foods are new to a child. Some children will accept a new food the first time it is offered and others may need more time.

Did you know?

A child may need to be offered a food 20 times or more before he/she learns to eat it! This includes seeing a food, watching you eat, touching or tasting a food and even spitting it out.

Keep in mind that children may eat a food one day and refuse it the next time it is offered; they may eat a lot one day and little the next; or they may not eat every food at a meal, but only one or two foods.

Pressure backfires! Forcing, bribing, lecturing, coaxing, rewarding or playing games to get your child to eat will not help him/her learn to enjoy a variety of foods. Relax and let your child learn to eat in his/her own time.